0 Was Manti Te'o a schemer or prey?

Serial liar Lance Armstrong will supposedly bare part of his soul on Thursday evening. Eventually, Manti Te'o will be asked to do the same. Television cameras will become their separate confessionals and, once both have spoken, they'll have told their versions of the truth.

Armstrong, the disgraced cyclist and career cheater, we were prepared for. His deceit was decades in the making.

But until the mushroom cloud of a Deadspin report enveloped his life Wednesday, Te'o was considered to be all that was right and good about college football. He was more than an All-American linebacker from Notre Dame; he was an ideal, a template for integrity, compassion and humility.

Te'o might still be all of those things. Or none of them. We still don't know for sure.

We do know he issued a statement saying that he was the victim of an elaborate online and telephonic deception. We know that his "girlfriend," and her death from leukemia, were the figments of someone's depraved imagination. What we don't know is whether Te'o's imagination was involved in the deception.

Notre Dame says it wasn't. ND athletic director Jack Swarbrick did more than vouch for Te'o's reputation; he all but dared anyone to question it. The victim, said Swarbrick, wasn't simply Te'o himself, but also Te'o's innocence, his unconditional desire to help others.

"There's a lot of tragedy here," said Swarbrick in a Wednesday evening news conference. "There's a lot of sorrow here. But the thing I am most sad of, sad about -- sorry … That the single most trusting human being I've ever met will never be able to trust in the same way again in his life. That's an incredible tragedy."

Swarbrick had to compose himself during the middle of that statement. Such is the level of his admiration for Te'o and the level of contempt for those whom he said did this to the Notre Dame star.

There was no wiggle room in Swarbrick's comments. He gave his unequivocal support and did so after citing the results of a private investigation commissioned by the university. In the end, said Swarbrick, Te'o was on the wrong end of a "very sophisticated hoax perpetrated for reasons we can't fully understand, but had a certain cruelty at its core."

I sat across from Te'o in the fall and listened to him tell his story of heartbreak. You know the details by now: On the same horrific day, he had learned that his grandmother had died, followed hours later by what he said was the news that his girlfriend -- the apparently fictitious Lennay Kekua -- had also passed away.

If he was lying, it was a performance for the ages. And if he wasn't, then clearly he believed, with all his heart, that both his beloved grandmother and Lennay had died within six hours of one another.

There remain those who simply can't believe that Te'o wasn't somehow complicit in the hoax. Nobody, they say, could be that naive, that trusting.

And despite Swarbrick's reasoned, passionate and mostly convincing defense of Te'o, there remain more than a few questions about the details of this bizarre, surreal story. Swarbrick's explanations were plausible, even believable, but in some instances, the Notre Dame AD said he couldn't comment on certain questions. Instead, he deferred to Te'o.

This can play out only two ways. Either Te'o is telling the truth or he's a Lance Armstrong-caliber liar. Either he is a victim of a pitiless hoax or part architect of it.

I want to believe Swarbrick. I want to believe Te'o. I want to believe there is a special place in hell for those who would prey on a person's better angels.

This is a story like no other. Armstrong … Te'o. You can't make this stuff up.

Oh, wait -- apparently you can.

0 Poisoned Lottery Winner's Kin Were Suspicious

Urooj Khan had just brought home his $425,000 lottery check when he unexpectedly died the following day. Now, certain members of Khan's family are speaking publicly about the mystery -- and his nephew told ABC News they knew something was not right.

"He was a healthy guy, you know?" said the nephew, Minhaj Khan. "He worked so hard. He was always going about his business and, the thing is: After he won the lottery and the next day later he passes away -- it's awkward. It raises some eyebrows."

The medical examiner initially ruled Urooj Khan, 46, an immigrant from India who owned dry-cleaning businesses in Chicago, died July 20, 2012, of natural causes. But after a family member demanded more tests, authorities in November found a lethal amount of cyanide in his blood, turning the case into a homicide investigation.

"When we found out there was cyanide in his blood after the extensive toxicology reports, we had to believe that ... somebody had to kill him," Minhaj Khan said. "It had to happen, because where can you get cyanide?"

In Photos: Biggest Lotto Jackpot Winners

Authorities could be one step closer to learning what happened to Urooj Khan. A judge Friday approved an order to exhume his body at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago as early as Thursday to perform further tests.

Moments after the court hearing, Urooj Khan's sister, Meraj Khan, remembered her brother as the kind of person who would've shared his jackpot with anyone. Speaking at the Cook County Courthouse, she hoped the exhumation would help the investigation.

"It's very hard because I wanted my brother to rest in peace, but then we have to have justice served," she said, according to ABC News station WLS in Chicago. "So if that's what it takes for him to bring justice and peace, then that's what needs to be done."

Khan reportedly did not have a will. With the investigation moving forward, his family is waging a legal fight against his widow, Shabana Ansari, 32, over more than $1 million, including Urooj Khan's lottery winnings, as well as his business and real estate holdings.

Khan's brother filed a petition Wednesday to a judge asking Citibank to release information about Khan's assets to "ultimately ensure" that [Khan's] minor daughter from a prior marriage "receives her proper share."
Ansari may have tried to cash the jackpot check after Khan's death, according to court documents, which also showed Urooj Khan's family is questioning if the couple was ever even legally married.

Ansari, Urooj Khan's second wife, who still works at the couple's dry cleaning business, has insisted they were married legally.

She has told reporters the night before her husband died, she cooked a traditional Indian meal for him and their family, including Khan's daughter and Ansari's father. Not feeling well, Khan retired early, Ansari told the Chicago Sun-Times, falling asleep in a chair, waking up in agony, then collapsing in the middle of the night. She said she called 911.

"It has been an incredibly hard time," she told ABC News earlier this week. "We went from being the happiest the day we got the check. It was the best sleep I've had. And then the next day, everything was gone.

"I am cooperating with the investigation," Ansari told ABC News. "I want the truth to come out."
Ansari has not been named a suspect, but her attorney, Steven Kozicki, said investigators did question her for more than four hours.
"Absolutely, positively, you know, she had nothing to do with her husband's death," Kozicki said.
Despite the legal battle over the estate, Minhaj Khan said the family "can't really point fingers or we can't really speculate until a further investigation is done."
"When they are exhuming his body, I really hope the truth does come out, and our family finds some peace and we get to the bottom of this," he said. "Because everybody has to go one day, but the way that he died was not the way to go."
Urooj Khan won $1 million in a scratch-off Illinois Lottery game in June, though he elected to take the lump sum payout amounting to $425,000 after taxes. He said he planned to use the money to pay off his bills and mortgage, and make a contribution to St. Jude Children's Research Center.
Minhaj Khan remembered his uncle as that sort of giving person.
"He had a successful business, he was a great father, he was a great uncle to us and we knew him since the late '80s, since he came here [to the United States]," he said. "We lived with him. My kids used to play with him too, you know? I have two little girls. He was a really big family man and everybody loved him.
"He was the life of the party," he said, "always joking around, always joking with us and the family."

ABC News' Susanna Kim contributed to this report.

0 Evan Rachel Wood, Jamie Bell expecting first child

NEW YORK (AP) — Evan Rachel Wood is going to be a mom.

Wood's publicist, Amanda Silverman, said Friday the 25-year-old actress and her husband, Jamie Bell, are expecting their first child later this year. She said Wood and Bell are "thrilled."

The couple married last year. They first dated in 2005 but broke up the following year.

Wood's breakout role was in 2003's gritty film "Thirteen." In 2011, she co-starred with Kate Winslet in the HBO miniseries "Mildred Pierce." Both roles earned her Golden Globe nominations.

Bell, 26, is best known for his starring role in "Billy Elliott." His film credits also include "King Kong" and "The Adventures of Tintin."

Us Weekly first reported Wood's pregnancy.

0 6 Superfoods You're Not Eating

by SHAPE Diet Doctor Mike Roussell, phD
Power through your workout, boost your health, and lose weight with these common, yet oft-overlooked foods.

Seaweed
Perhaps most commonly eaten wrapped around a sushi roll, nori is loaded with iodine, a mineral essential for proper thyroid function. While iodized salt was introduced in 1924 to prevent goiter, the increased emphasis on low-sodium diets and the popularity of sea salt, which often doesn't contain iodine, have recently resurfaced concerns about getting enough iodine. This trace mineral isn't the only benefit of sea vegetables. Nori contains high levels of vitamin K and iron, micronutrients essential for proper cellular function. Look for nori pieces in the international section of your supermarket and crumble them on top of chili, soups, and salads. (This will add a little extra salty flavor, so if you are salt sensitive, use less in your recipe.)

Sauerkraut
Considering cabbage is low-carb, high-fiber, and contains cancer-fighting 3-indole carbinol and d-glucarate, a compound that works to clear excess estrogen, the veggie is already a superfood. Fermenting it into sauerkraut, however, puts it on nutritional steroids. The probiotics that drive fermentation also help repopulate your digestive system with healthy, hardworking good bacteria that lower inflammation, improve digestion, and maybe even aid in weight loss. Plus fermentation increases the bioavailablity of the antioxidants found in cabbage, and the longer cabbage ferments, the higher the levels of antioxidants become, meaning your body can better absorb and use them.

Hemp Seeds
No, these will not make you high. While hemp and marijuana are kissing cousins, the amount of THC in hemp is almost nonexistent. In 2004, the DEA's ban on hemp seeds and oil due to their trace THC content was overruled, and hemp is not considered a drug. The seeds are powerful, however, as two tablespoons contains 400 milligrams of anti-inflammatory gamma-linolenic acid and 2 grams of omega-3 fats, plus all nine essential amino acids, compounds that help maximize recovery from workouts.

Shirataki Noodles
Pasta lovers, it's time to throw an Italian feast: Now you can enjoy your noodles for 20 calories and 5 carbs (and some brands have even less of both!) per serving. Shirataki noodles are made from the konjac plant, the same plant that we get the fiber and satiety supplement glucomannan from-read: They keep you full. Shirataki don't have much flavor and come in every shape from angel to fettuccine to penne and more, so you can use them in any pasta recipe. Just take them out of the bag, rinse thoroughly, and heat, and they're ready to toss into stroganoff, primavera, or whatever you're craving.

Beets
After a study showed that beets can improve performance and reduce the amount of oxygen needed to complete a cardio session, the sports and fitness community has been raving about the root veggie and its juice. Beets contain nitrates, which are used in the production of nitric oxide, a compound that makes blood vessels dilate, allowing more blood and oxygen to flow to your working muscles. Enjoy them raw, cooked, or juiced.

Asparagus
Vitamin K is important for blood clotting and B vitamins are necessary for energy metabolism, and you can find both in asparagus. Not only is a stalk only three calories, but a recent study in the Journal of Food Science reported that asparagus can aid the body in accelerating the metabolism of alcohol. Next time you host a cocktail party, serve this superfood wrapped in prosciutto for tasty, low-carb, high-protein hors d'oeuvres that will help your guests wake up hangover-free in the morning.

0 Is Kasaab Still Alive?

The jail officials hanged him and the medical officers declared him dead but the fact is that Kasaab is not dead. He is alive and with full spirit, he is busy working on his agenda somewhere near us. I am saying this because for me Kasaab is not the name of some Pakistani but it is the mindset which not just exists but spreading fast as well.

As an author put it that we were told by the western media outlets and a number of other people that the bearded lot is the real threat to the mankind and humanity but what we see in Pakistan, it is the social media addict westernised youth which seems to be the real threat. These people, graduated from some of the best universities in Pakistan have made up their mind that if a name of Pakistani comes up in an act of terrorism, it can only be a conspiracy against Pakistan hatched by, as usual, America, Israel or India. Just today after Kasaab was hanged, another educated young guy working in a well known advertisement agency updated his Facebook status in which he ‘declared’ that ‘Kasaab’ was nothing but an Indian drama. I said ‘declared’ because while you have so many evidences that came up supporting the argument that he was a Pakistani, you don’t have a single reason to deny it but still he stood by his opinion just because a certain mindset doesn’t allow a person to admit that his fellow countryman can be involved in an act of cross-border terrorism.

I’ve seen people posting pictures and articles saying that Malala incident was nothing but an excuse for the operation in North Waziristan. Then there were those who keep asking media why it never raised the issue of Dr. Afia Siddiqui with the same spirit. First of all, I fail to understand that even if it was a drama; doesn’t an act of terrorism, for whatsoever the purpose, need to be condemned? Why these people forget that it was the media, which first took up the issue of ‘Pakistani prisoner in Afghanistan’. I still remember the front page of Daily Jang, Karachi that carried this news. But perhaps the ‘Kasaab’ mentality shakes heir beliefsr that not everything in this country is a conspiracy. For me, these posts show only one thing that the supporters of ‘Malala conspiracy theory’ think that Taliban can never go against Pakistan’s interests.

The same old, new crop, during the recent Israeli attack on Gaza, dedicated almost all of their space on Facebook to the innocent Palestinians. There is nothing wrong in showing solidarity with them but then I saw the posts appealing the Government of Pakistan to immediately send its troops and all arms, missiles and whatsoever to help the innocent citizens, obviously by attacking Israelis. Excuse me! who are we to interfere in the matters of two states? If the USA comments on the situation in Balochistan, its an attack on our sovereignty. If India (As believed) is engaged in terrorism in the tribal belt or Balochistan through its consulates in Afghanistan, its cross-border terrorism but if we do so, it is justified. Doesn’t it prove that we, the Pakistanis believe in cross-border terrorism in our interest and that was what Kasaab did in Mumbai.

I was the one to show anger over Indian media projection of Balasaheb thackerey as a heroic personality but then making fun of his religion is something strongly unacceptable for me. But for this young lot, it is ‘cool’ to make fun of other religions and what if a follower of other religion does the same to ours. Obviously they are the first one to call him names and a fatwa for his murder will be issued from ‘Facebook madarassah’ immediately. It’s not just an assumption but a truth and I’ve seen it myself.


I don’t know how the attitude of the generation, raised amid anti-India media and hate based curriculum; can be brought to a neutral level when there is no hope of state giving any attention towards it. These people with the ‘Kasaab’ mindset are the easiest targets of the groups operating almost everywhere in the country who brainwash (if needed) them and send them on the ‘holy cause’ and on their back are the thousands of social media experts ‘Kasaabs’ waiting to save Pakistan from the international conspiracies.